KTVA 11Janis Demarest – KTVA 11http://www.ktva.com
The Voice of AlaskaFri, 09 Dec 2016 05:37:50 +0000en-UShourly1Janis Demaresthttp://www.ktva.com/janis-demarest/
http://www.ktva.com/janis-demarest/#respondTue, 20 Aug 2013 23:24:35 +0000http://www.ktva.com/?p=2178
I arrived in Alaska from Louisiana by way of Indiana and Texas and Kentucky and Virginia. It was an unexpected phone call in March that started my Alaskan adventure. It’s a journey that involves planes, a helicopter, glaciers, forgotten wallets and lots of uncertainty. Ultimately, I knew I would be a fool and wonder “what […]

I arrived in Alaska from Louisiana by way of Indiana and Texas and Kentucky and Virginia.

It was an unexpected phone call in March that started my Alaskan adventure. It’s a journey that involves planes, a helicopter, glaciers, forgotten wallets and lots of uncertainty. Ultimately, I knew I would be a fool and wonder “what if” for the rest of my life if I passed up the amazing opportunity to join the team at Denali Media.

My love affair with news started in high school. My local police department was thrust in a PR battle after being the center of a TV newsmagazine “investigation.” I remember tuning in to that episode proud my hometown was getting recognition. The story, as presented, quickly had me wishing I lived somewhere else along the vast stretch of I-10; anywhere in Louisiana would have been fine.

A week later officers were in front of my magazine/publishing class giving their side of the story. That’s when I learned it’s a good idea to question things, everything. I later realized there are usually three sides to every story/situation … theirs, yours and the truth.

It is a desire to wade through all the information to get to the truth, the real truth, that drives me every day. It’s a joke in many newsrooms: why let the facts get in the way of a good story? That’s not a joke to me. It’s sacrilegious.

Right now, I have the chance to work with some of the best technical minds in the industry. The editorial experience of the people I get to call colleagues and friends is astounding.

Sure, it’s easy to be excited about where I come to work everyday – the new toys, shiny new set and technology I didn’t know existed, but what really puts a smile on my face is my drive to work. Every morning I am greeted by mountains, MOUNTAINS, I tell you, as the backdrop to start my day.